Municipal, industrial and agricultural wastes and biosolids are potentially a rich source of carbon for power generation, as well as a primary source for the reformed synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These resources are discharge limit regulated. Such solids represent a significant percentage of a municipality's waste management budget which may be offset by converting these waste solids to energy. The demand for renewable and alternative energy sources is a growing industry.
Carbon-based dry solids are currently convertible by gasification and turbo-electric power generation at a rate of three pounds per kilowatt (kW) at approximately 30% efficiency. However, if these gasifier fuel gases or syngas were to be used in a fuel cell operating at high temperatures, the efficiencies approximate 70%. The barriers to bringing a high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to market include the high cost of stacked ceramic discs, their interconnects and exotic elements, which are subject to corrosion from CO2/H2O formed in the oxidation process. Further, the syngas or fuel gas (CO/H2) source must be free of contaminating nitrogen and sulfur oxides which requires a fuel gas scrubber preceding the fuel cell. The method and apparatus of this invention includes a separator filter for fuel gas or syngas.